Government Officers Block India’s Progress
Posted : May 8, 2008 at 3:44 am [IST]
Since the recommendations of sixth pay commission has come out, a debate is on of its being bias towards administrative services, and army has received a raw deal.
I have no reason to argue that they don’t deserve rise in salary and perks. However, I along with the whole country expect them to set some good example of accountability and transparency in working. I have got one issue each for clarifications from both the services.
For administrative services, my issue relates to the India’s ranking in “Doing Business ranking of India”. India’s year-on-year ranking in the ease of doing business index of the World Bank group has been abysmally low. It has number of sub-indices - including procedures, cost of starting business and tax rates deciding the overall ranking for ease of doing business in the country. ‘Doing Business Report 2008‘ has ranked India 120th amongst 178 countries - way below China, which ranks at 83 and Pakistan, which comes in 76th. How can a potential investor look towards India with so poor a ranking? Should not the administrative services take the responsibility of the failure of the country on this shameful issue? Can the officers concerned after the pay rise at least take care of this one issue and bring India’s ranking for ‘doing business’ to a respectful level?
For defence forces, my question relates to Arjuna main battle tank project. We have been reading about the project since last two decades perhaps. Why is the army not co working with DRDO to make it a success by debugging few faults in design or manufacturing, if at all there are some? Many are of opinion that the failure of the Arjuna to get inducted is a typical case to prove that army personnel concerned are corrupt. It is not the national interest but the worry of the source of commission from the foreign suppliers of the imported tanks that is blocking the path for Arjuna to get into the battlefields. Can’t army and if so required DRDO take help from all the technical experts available in the country to sort out Arjun’s problems in design, production, or induction? Do they want us to believe that the brains that can sort out the critical problems of satellite and missiles launching of world class and build the sophisticated nuclear plants on its own, can’t solve the mechanical or electrical problems of Arjuna?
The country respects the hard work and sacrifices of the defence forces, but there are many areas where there are also superior persons in real terms. They must understand and appreciate that other sincere citizens busy in many nation-building programmes are no way inferior.
The officers must get the pay rise but they must keep on improving upon their contributions to the nation building without selfish motives, and in democracy it is essential. The whole country is looking towards these highly educated officers for a lead.
- Indra
Category: Government Policy/Administration |
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